The Bike
by YoungHellsta
Summary: During a nostalgia get-together trip around Kanto, Ash inquires Misty about why people tease them about being a "thing". The red-head's answer get's Ash's brain working overtime, specifically about a certain item that he once stole then got fried. A quick oneshot, Not-Quite-Oblivious!Ash


**The Bike**

"You two have a good time now!" The owner of the store called from the counter as Ash and Misty walked out the door with red faces.

The pair walked in silence for a moment before Ash spoke up. "Hey, uh, Misty?" The orange-haired girl looked over to her traveling companion. "Why does everyone think we're dating?"

Misty blushed again. "I mean, not that there's anything wrong with that!" He rectified, "It's just that, with all the fighting we do, why would we be in love? I mean, people in love don't fight, right?"

What had brought this on? Misty wondered. Ash wasn't the type of person to think this deeply into something or questioned stuff this much unless it involved Pokémon.

"Actually, Ash, they do." Where had that come from? "They do fight, but they always make amends, they'll always solved the problem together."

That put Ash into deep thought. Not a moment later, he thought of the one thing they had fought over the most. At the same time, Misty was pondering over her sudden words of wisdom, and where it had come from. She sure as heck didn't learn that from Brock or her sisters, so where had that tidbit come from?

An idea came to Ash while Misty was to preoccupied with internal ponderings to notice the boy suddenly perk up, an idea obviously brewing in his head so hard you could practically see the light bulb.

* * *

Ash had insisted that his companions remain in Cerulean City before they continued their second journey across Kanto, while he made a trip to a secret place on the back of Charizard.

Ash was gone for three days on his "secret" trip to Johto before he got back. While he was gone, both Brock and Misty's sisters teased the young Water trainer about missing her boyfriend (while Brock didn't use that term explicitly, the other Waterflowers made sure to use it liberally).

Misty had just gotten out of the pool from a late-afternoon swim when the door to the Gym opened. Misty immediately retrieved a towel and quickly made to receive the challenger, but she was met instead with Ash, struggling to carry a large box into the Gym.

She quickly ran over to help the boy with the box, and they set it down next to the pool. "What's this?" She inquired.

"Open it and see for yourself," Ash said with a smirk, "It's for you!"

"Really?" Misty asked, half-skeptical, as she turned her attention to the box, trying to find an opening.

"Turn around for a sec." Ash interrupted her, brandishing a pocket knife. Rolling her eyes, Misty obliged. "Alright, turn back around."

The young Gym Leader's eyes bulged at the sight in front of her; Atop the remnants of the box, stood a bike, blue with a pink seat, handlebar grips, and a white basket with a pokéball symbol on it. It was sleek, gorgeous, and the colors were completely custom. Misty had been looking at getting a Pokécourier ever since her old bike was destroyed.

"Ash Ketchum! Did you seriously buy me a _custom Pokécourier 200_?!" Misty turned on him.

Said trainer sweatdropped and rubbed the back of his neck, fearing a meeting with Misty's mallet or fist, but said, "Well, like you've always said, I _do_ owe you a bike-" He was cut off by the young girl tackle-hugging him.

"I _love_ it!" She squealed, hugging him tighter.

"Okay! Mist, can't… breathe!" Ash chocked as he tapped the tile floor next to him with his hand.

"Oh, sorry." The water trainer said as she loosed her grip and blushed, and then even harder as the young aspiring Pokémon Master returned her embrace. After a moment, they let go and Misty stood up, offering a hand to her long-time companion.

"Why'd you get me this now?" Misty questioned as she inspected her new bike.

"Well," Ash sweatdropped, "I was thinking about what you said in Saffron, and decided to resolve our oldest and most common argument. Now I don't owe you a bike!"

"Nope, you don't." Misty agreed, drifting into deep thought. If Ash was thinking about what she said about couples' arguments, and he bought the beautiful blue bike to make amends for their most common conflict, then _was he in love with her_? Misty turned her attention back to Ash, who was staring at her.

The fifteen-year-old adventurer and Gym Leader thought of all the times Ash showed this kind of emotion towards her. It had mostly been in the last year where Ash had begun to seem less naïve an oblivious, and there were a few times where the young trainer seemed uncharacteristically romantic.

Of course, Misty always played those moments off as Ash knot knowing the true meaning of his actions, but now it looked less like naïvety and more like Ash was finally growing up and noticing girls.

This whole thing made Misty recall her crush on him early in their adventures. She had never really gotten over it (as it was what spurred her to say things like in Saffron, or accept Ash's gift so enthusiastically), but it was mostly background noise after a few months of pinning after the oblivious boy.

And so she finished her inspection of the Pokécourier 200 and took Ash's hand. "Thanks, Ash." She said softly, the inhaled and exhaled deeply, bracing herself for her next move, praying to anything that would listen that this wouldn't ruin their relationship.

It happened fairly quickly, but for the pair of trainers it happened in slow motion. Misty stepped in front of Ash, their eyes meeting as the orange-haired girl leaned in. Subconsously, Ash realized what she was doing, and closed the remaining distance between them, their lips meeting.

A wave of feeling, mostly content and happiness, crashed over the trainers as the two continued the kiss. After a minute, they broke apart breathelessly, staring into each other's eyes.

"So," Ash broke the moment of silence. "I guess this means we're a _thing_ now, huh?"

"If you think you're getting away from me now after that kiss, Ash Ketchum, then you're more of an idiot than I ever guessed." Misty shot with her usual tone of superiority.

The other trainer just smirked at his new girlfriend's antics as he lowered his forehead to touch Misty's. "I would never." He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing in the embrace they found themselves in, then opened them to gaze into the cerulean eyes he knew he wanted to see everyday for the rest of his life. "I love you, Misty Waterflower."

Misty softened at those sacred words, and immediately replied with, "I love you, Ash Ketchum." As they leaned in again.


End file.
